Of Mouse and Man
by Becherovka
Summary: Rosemary has a special gift - she can read people as easily as open book. But when she sees through someone who is more dangerous than anyone she have ever met, will it be her end? FBI is going after a serial killer whose victims are only young girls. He rapes them and tortures them. Can she possibly help or will she be the next victim herself?
1. Chapter 1

_Ok, so here is my first published fanfiction of all times so please be kind at me:)_

"Will! Wait a minute, please!" Rough voice of Jack Crawford was echoing all over the street. Will didn't even realize he was going further away from the disgusting corpse arranged on the old sofa. Will turned around and saw Jack approaching him quickly. Little girl with brown curly hair scurried next to Jack. Will closed his eyes, imagining the dead woman in the crime scene. He suddenly felt everything around him, but he couldn't recognize a single detail about the murderer. He shook his head and pushed his lids together.

"Will, let me introduce you to Rosemary Label. She has the same particular mind gift as you and she is going to help us investigate this case. Rosemary, this is Will Graham, our special agent." Will could see through Jack like through glass. He was afraid, but not of that girl. Maybe of her abilities? Will finally reacted and shook her hand. When he eventually glanced at her, he was surprised. The person he firstly considered a small girl was a grown woman, indeed very petite. She had big brown eyes and hair with big volume. It made her head look bigger than the rest of her body. She could be around 5 ft 4 inches high.

"I am not sure whether it is a gift or a curse. Nevertheless, I am pleased to meet you." Will forced himself into smile.

She didn't even attempt to look different from her current I-fear-everything-I-see state. "I am sure it is a curse," she answered. Her voice sounded like voice of a child. "How are you dealing with the pressure coming with this job?" She looked like truly intrigued. She also relaxed a bit.

"He has a great psychologist," sophisticated voice sounded behind them. "My name is Hannibal Lecter. It is pleasure to meet you, Ms. Label." Hannibal reached for her hand, when her behaviour quickly changed. She backed down a few steps and watched him with wide fearful eyes.

Everyone's gaze was focused on her. She seemed to calm down after few minutes. "My sincere apologies, Mr. Lecter." Her voice was only above whisper. "I sometimes just get these panic attacks." She afforded him to give her a tough handshake.

"That is interesting. May I ask you if you already have a psychologist?" Hannibal's accent was soft and soothing, yet she felt still scared.

"Yes, I have," she answered maybe too quickly.

"I wouldn't let her work here if I wasn't sure she is stable. And only good psychologist can confirm that." Jack defended her. She made three small steps towards him like if she was looking for protection. Fear absolutely disappeared, now replaced by suspicion. She watched every slightest move Hannibal did and she judged and calculated. He could sense problems. He wasn't sure, whether she knew, but she at least guessed. He should take care of her, soon.

"I could handle you well. You could even cooperate with Will. I assume that little change would not be wrong for you." His words were like honey but his eyes sent warning to her. She got the message and shivered unintentionally.

"I am highly satisfied with my doctor, thank you," she replied in rather defensive manner.

"He is right," Jack intervened. "Please, at least consider his offer. He is highly qualified specialist, one of the best. He could help you with your fear of people."

Rosemary got goose bumps of Hannibal Lecter. There was something that didn't feel right about him. His cold eyes, his stern glares and perfect manners. Like if he was hiding too much. And he was the first person she had ever met, who she couldn't read like open book. She had amazing skills at judging people, but only one thing she could say about this psychologist was that she didn't feel safe around him. "I will consider his offer, I promise," she said weakly, apologized and left.

* * *

"So, what exactly is this pervert murderer doing?" Alana Bloom was one of very rare friends of Will Graham. They were used to sit together over a coffee in a small café in the city centre once a week.

"I am not sure if you really want to hear it," William sighed and stirred his coffee. "It is not something nice, you know." He alone had problem not to throw up when he imagined the murderer torturing his victims.

"Come on. It is the fourth murder during two months. It is work of serial killer. I just want to know what kind of people I should avoid." Alana was very skilful psychologist and knew what made Will talk.

"Ok then. The killer, he raped them, and then he... opened them and pushed a baby doll inside them. They were conscious during this action. Then he stabbed them into their abdomen so he stabbed the plastic baby too. They all died because of blood loss. That murderer is a mystery to me. I cannot see a single part of his personality through these murders." Will finished and Alana was really shocked. She didn't expect this, so she held his hand and tried to calm down both.

* * *

Rose was just drying her hair when she heard her phone ringing. She answered it immediately and recognised voice of Jack Crawford. "I need you. There happened another murder. We need you there. In twenty minutes. I will send you a car, ok?" He sounded really excited but not in the good way. Rose just sighed and watched herself in a mirror for a few seconds.

"Of course, Jack. I will be right there."

She came to her bedroom and changed into jeans shorts and black laced top. She considered the weather and then she added a long green shirt. She ran in front of her house and noticed black car and FBI agent in it. She got in, still breathing heavily and for the whole ride didn't even attempt to talk with the driver. After ten minutes the car stopped and she got out. She looked at a lot of people surrounding something she couldn't see. Jack was hurrying towards her; behind him were Will and Hannibal.

"There is another woman, killed the same way as the others. We haven't identified her yet but we still want you to look at the crime scene. Maybe you will invent something." Jack was talking so fast that she almost couldn't understand him properly. She just simply nodded and greeted Will and Hannibal. Again, when she saw him, she got strange feeling, she thought that he was even laughing at her with his eyes. She shook those thoughts away and approached the corpse. But the closer she was, the more she felt something really really bad. And when she saw the face of the victim, she fell to her knees.

Hannibal laughing and holding bloody chainsaw. Small puppet covered in blood, shouting "I WANT OUT!" Chef preparing fried potatoes and putting them on a plate next to human fingers – that all flew through her head in a second. She lied on her back next to the corpse and breathed so heavily, she couldn't hear anything else. She saw people surrounding her and made contact with Hannibal's eyes. She claimed him guilty, even if only through her stare and she knew that he knew that she knew. His face was calm, maybe with little smirk. Rose turned around to see the victim's face again.

It was her psychologist.


	2. Chapter 2

_I know I am terrible. Sorry sorry sorry to you all! I appreciate all the reviews and favourites and follows, you are amazing people :*_

Pulse was booming through her ears. Her breathing was so audible, that she couldn't notice anything else around her. But then she felt her heart slowly calming down as well as her breath. She eventually managed to open her eyes and she saw group of people looming over her. When she saw Hannibal, she screamed and tried to get away from him but she was so weak that she couldn't move.

"Leave her alone with me," his sophisticated voice startled her even more. "You are scaring her. There are too many people and that may be the reason of her distress." She had her eyes still closed but she could hear everyone moving away from her. Then she felt hot air near her ear. "I know that you are conscious," he whispered in her ear. "And you found out something about things you wouldn't want to get involved in. I hope that you realized how much the truth costs."

She opened her eyes and carefully sat. She was on a bed in a room she didn't recognize. And there was only her and him. They were truly alone. But she could imagine Jack Crawford standing right behind the door and waiting for a single scream or even shriek. She shivered slightly when she had to look into eyes of the man she was so afraid of, but when she did it, she was proud of herself. "You do not have to worry about my discretion. I will not tell anyone. You scared me beyond death," she spoke quietly and uncertainly. She tried to overcome her urge to call for help.

"I have to assure you that this was never my intention. I meant that as a simple act of warning. Do not mess with me and you will not get hurt. I would also recommend you to choose me as your new psychiatrist, since no other will survive long enough to actually psychically help you. Keep that in mind. Now that we are clear, shall I call Jack back in?"

"Thank you for your kind offer, but I would rather prefer to have no psychologist at all," she scoffed and swiftly got out of the bed. Too late she found out that it probably wasn't the wisest decision. Her vision seemed blurred and whole room swung around her like a crazy carousel.

When Hannibal saw her stumble he tried to help her but she quickly backed away. Instead of his hand she rather used wall as a support and slowly approached the door. Then she turned around and glared at him, for once not scared of his dark unreadable eyes.

"I will not stop my work with Jack. But I will not interfere in your... business. And I hope that you will never seek me out on your own and that we will never have to talk to each other again. Please, just leave me be and I will do the same for you." With these words she unexpectedly gracefully opened the door and joined Jack's side, granting him one small ensuring smile.

* * *

"No, Jack!" Will was almost shouting. "I am telling you that this murder has nothing, absolutely nothing in common with others. Profile of the victim doesn't fit. Crime scene doesn't fit. Nothing fits except for the method. And this case is well known thanks to media so anyone could try to copy that."

Jack grunted. "Even without this murder we have no clue, no connection to the murderer. I have to do everything in my power to catch him. And catch the copycat, if you say so. Let's go over victims' folders again and we may find some link this time."

Jack just turned around as to fetch those files when door opened and Rose came in. She was wearing rather dressy long gown in colour of deep blue evening sky. Her hair flowed in gentle waves over her shoulder and she wore long golden earrings. She looked really nervous.

"I called you three times but you didn't answer your phone," she told Jack accusingly. "So I just... came here... to tell you that I have no time tonight." She finished with timid smile and played with clasp on her purse.

"Oh, and who is that happy man getting your attention tonight?" Jack's voice was kind and he appreciated her look with a grin. Surprisingly, Rose laughed out loud and slightly blushed.

"His name actually is Don Giovanni. I have one and only one ticket to the Mayhall Opera for tonight's performance. So do not be afraid, I will be at home at eleven, daddy." Rose finished teasingly and waved them goodbye. "I have got to go, so... see you tomorrow, Will, Jack." She turned around and walked into the corridor.

"Hey! Your dress is missing back!" Jack shouted at her but she only chuckled and closed the door behind her.

* * *

When Rose got out of taxi in front of the opera house, she could not conceal her grin. She felt beautiful and confident and so thrilled! Visiting opera was one of her favourite hobbies since her high school years. She took her time and enjoyed her way into the building. After she had her ticket checked she headed to bar but then she changed her mind and just strolled around looking for someone she knew. Suddenly the bell announced ten minutes till the start of performance and the large mass of people moved. Rose didn't like crowd so she hid behind one column and waited. Soon, she was alone in now quiet room so she hurried to her lodge.

Don Giovanni had cast full of stars, so Rose could only afford ticket to third row in the lodge, which was four times cheaper than the first one. But she didn't complain, she knew well enough that in opera it's mainly about singing and not playing. As soon as she found her seat the bell signalled the beginning. Rose quickly sat and focused on the stage.

* * *

The first act was of course splendid and Rose was clapping so hard her hands hurt. Her eyes were shining and she felt content. The play was in the last third, the amazing bass singer just finished his solo when Rose's mood faded. Here, _he _was, in the same lodge as her, standing in the front and shouting bravo. 'How is it possible that I didn't notice him before? Should I leave?' Her thoughts were quick and almost confusing. 'He doesn't know that I am here, I don't have to go,' she reasoned with herself. 'And I will leave as soon as the last note ends and hide at the toilet until everyone leaves.' When she calmed herself at least a little, she stayed on her place and tried to return her attention to the stage. But she couldn't. Her eyes still saw the back of his head just few steps away from her. She didn't even enjoy the finish and as soon as the applause filled the room, she rose and left. She considered immediate departure but the cloakroom attendant was nowhere to be seen.

So instead of clapping and enjoying the success of those opera singers, Rose now sat in locked toilet cubicle, shivering from cold and waiting. She could hear women talking, excited, carefree. She envied them their normal lives without murders, judging stares, _psychiatrist._

When everything went quiet, Rose finally dared to exit restroom and went to retrieve her coat. Only to find out, that indeed everyone has left. Including the staff, except for the man standing near the door.

"Excuse me, I forgot to take my coat, do you know..."

"It will be in the storage room now, I am sorry miss. But don't worry; you can come tomorrow for it." The man was really kind so Rose just smiled and thanked him.

"Amazing," she mumbled to herself. Her voice was echoing through the empty room and sounded alien to her. She went out and grabbed her phone to call taxi but it was out of charge. 'This evening just can't get any better,' she thought desperately. It was summer but nights were cold so the dress with no back really didn't help.

"Are you cold?" It was almost funny how one sentence could turn her blood into ice. She managed only to turn around and take two steps back.

Hannibal Lecter stood before her in elegant fitting suit and smiled lightly. Rose shivered but this time not from cold. She was frozen, couldn't feel her limbs.

Hannibal took one step to her and she watched him with wary eyes. Finally she seemed to overcome the shock. "I thought we agreed on not talking business before." Her voice was quiet and stable and she suddenly felt more confident. They were in public. He wouldn't dare.

"We didn't agree on anything. I informed you about situation and then you merely stated your wish." His voice was emotionless, maybe with a slight hint of amusement.

"So you are the only one who can make demands?" Her voice was stronger, more firm. She wanted to get out of this situation quickly.

"If you did not get it before, I will make it clear for you now. You are in no position of power. I told you I did not want you scared to death. But that does not mean we are friends." The amusement was here for sure. He was toying with her. Although he was very hard to read, this was clear.

"You were the one who approached me today in the first place!" Yeah, defensive with a little bit of offense. Will would be proud of her if he were here.

"You still did not answer. But you do not have to anymore. Now that I can see that cold is indeed an issue, I can behave like true gentleman I was raised to be." He came closer to her and circled her to be behind her back. Rose froze, again. She was entering the panic mode. She could hear her breath along with the quick beating of her heart. Suddenly she felt fabric brush her back and then familiar weight on her shoulders. He gave her his suit jacket.

"The dress looks magnificent on you, by the way." She could hear the smirk from his voice and she turned around so sharply she almost stumbled. Almost.

"I don't want anything from you," she spat. However, the only thing she really wanted right now was to snuggle into his jacket to prevent the cold. Only she had to be strong, so she started pulling the jacket from her, when two hands on her shoulders suddenly made it impossible to continue. She was terrified now. This man made her terrified. His hands weighed tons on her shoulders. She averted his eyes and looked onto his bowtie instead.

"Don't. Your lips are blue." His voice sounded so concerned that it made her overwhelmed by this situation, by the whole evening and she decided to give up her strong facade.

"I just want to go home." Her breath was shallow when she expected his reaction. Reaction of the one with power as he would say. He surprised her when he pulled out his mobile phone, called her a taxi and left without another word as soon as the car stopped by the pavement.


	3. Chapter 3

_It will be your fault if I fail my school leaving exams -.-_

Rose was roughly awoken by her alarm clock at 6 am and seriously considered staying home instead of going to work. But then she caught a glimpse of Hannibal's jacket on her armchair and all sleepiness immediately left her. She got up and made a thermos bottle full of strong black tea with milk. She had a distant feeling she will need her "teakick" as she called it not only during morning.

It was quite chilly in the morning so Rose put on her long dark green coat. She felt silly holding man's jacket and after a while she stuffed it into her purse. Anyway, she didn't care whether it got rumpled. Finally she locked her house and quickly strode towards the closest bus stop. Public traffic was always awfully overcrowded in the morning but Rose wasn't very talented driver and often panicked especially during morning peak. And she also couldn't afford taxi every morning, so that left her with no other option.

When she arrived she met Jack phoning while lively gesticulating. When he saw her, he smiled and put hand over the microphone. "Go upstairs, Will wanted to talk to you."

"Yeah, good morning to you too," Rose winked at him playfully and hurried inside. To her annoyance she found Will in the corridor speaking with Hannibal.

"Hello everybody," she greeted blandly.

"Hello!" Will greeted rather enthusiastically. "I need to talk to you! I hope you have few minutes for me."

"Of course," Rose was confused by his sudden familiarity. They've technically known each other only for few days and now he was acting like an old friend.

"Great, let's go somewhere private," offered Will in response and opened for her the door leading to interrogation room. Rose gladly invited the idea of their conversation without Hannibal so when he attempted to follow them inside, she took his jacket from her purse, shoved it into his hands and slammed the door before he could protest.

Will seated himself and suddenly looked really nervous. "Before we start, I must ask you to be absolutely discreet concerning the matter I am going to discuss with you."

Rose slowly lowered myself on the chair opposite him and thought about appropriate unoffending answer. "I prefer to know what I am promising before I promise it," she replied.

Will shifted uncomfortably. "Take it as a request, not an order." He made a short pause during which he seemed to find lost courage, because he suddenly squared his shoulders and continued more confidently. "I have really, really bad feeling about... Hannibal."

Rose felt wave of anxiety. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Just listen to me, please! His behaviour was rather weird lately plus I can't read him! I usually know what people are thinking but with him? Not a single idea, and he told me..."

Will stopped when Rose abruptly stood up. "I am sorry, I can't help you. You should be happy to have Hannibal as your psychiatrist as he is one of the best. So stop creating accusations based on your inability to decipher his emotions. To me he seems just fine." She turned around to leave but Will's voice stopped her.

"You didn't look like fine when you met him."

Rose left the room without an answer and felt this statement hang above her head like a death sentence. She decided to calm down in the conference room with nice hot cup of tea.

* * *

Rose stood near bus stop and felt utterly exhausted by the end of her shift. Jack made her go over 4 cases and she felt fragile as if single blow of the wind could shatter her. Usually, in situation like this, she would call her psychologist and make an appointment – but that was not going to happen. Ever. Again. She felt goose bumps form on her arms and decided for a music therapy. She was just in a process of getting her earphones out of her purse, when a sleek black car stopped by the pavement and the door opened.

"Get in the car," Hannibal ordered. "We need to talk."

Rose had unbelievable expression on her face. "I don't want to." The bus was just arriving and the honk directed at the black car in a bus stop space hurt her ears.

"You do not understand me. I have some questions regarding your recent conversation with Will Graham. Get in the car. I am not going to repeat myself once more." His voice was cold and threatening. Rose involuntarily shivered and nodded. In her state of anxiety she didn't even hear insulting voices of other people waiting for the bus. She entered the car and as soon as she closed the door, Hannibal turned left and joined the mass of quickly going cars.

"Fasten your seatbelt. It certainly would not be a pleasure to get a fine because of you." Now he sounded overly kind. Rose felt sick and scared at one time.

"You heard us? How could you hear us? I didn't say anything, I didn't, you have to know that, I didn't, couldn't..." Hannibal effectively stopped Rose's rambling by putting his hand on her knee. Only for a short while but it worked.

"Calm down. I heard everything. You both proved a surprising lack of intellect when you in fact did not realize that everything happening in interrogation rooms can be watched from surveillance section. By the way, your lying is not an ability you should be proud of. You were atrocious. I would think that with proper motivation I gave you, you would put more effort into convicting Will that you find nothing uncommon about me. Maybe I should show some more persuasive skill to you, what do you think?" His whole speech was said in calm, stable tone as if he was talking about weather.

Rose felt her throat tighten and not even smallest sound could be forced out of her. She gripped the seat so firmly that her knuckles went nearly white. Everything in her body wanted her to scream out her discomfort and run, yet she remained oddly unmoving. Only her chest was swelling with her harsh breaths. She closed her eyes and tried to stop her panic but it seemed impossible. Her breathing was quickening and she felt sickness roll over her like a giant wave. "Stop the car. Please," she managed to gasp.

Hannibal fulfilled her plea when he spotted first unoccupied parking space and immediately helped her out of the car. Although Rose could barely stand, her legs were wobbly and nausea was twisting her stomach, she stubbornly refused his help and stumbled to a close bench, where she was finally able to slow her breathing and overcome her uneasiness.

"It was not my wish to bring such discomfort upon you. You are not as strong as you are pretending to be." His words did not sound apologetic at all, but Rose could see the peace offering behind the lines. The promise that he won't torment her anymore – for now. She slowly lifted her gaze and unashamedly studied his face. And she saw he was being sincere. She trusted her instincts and let herself relax a little.

"I do not exactly appreciate your threats. I would be really grateful if you could find yourself amusement of another sort." Her formality spread between them like a bizarre barrier. Hannibal understood her need for space and didn't try to approach her anymore.

"Enough of the verbal sparring for today. I am taking you home."

"I will never willingly tell you where I live and you don't know that. I would like it to remain this way." As Rose was thinking of another means of transportation, she suddenly realised that she had absolutely no idea where she was.

"Don't I really know it? Interesting, I did not assume that the house you entered yesterday night had some secret underground passage to another one. But since you didn't leave it until morning, I presume that the passage is the only explanation." His voice had playful undertones but that frightened her even more.

"You have me... watched?" Rose's voice sounded really weak.

"No, I was just messing with you. Now get back to the car and tell me where you want me to take you." Despite the absurdness of the whole situation, smile on her face was genuine.


End file.
